1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a dispenser for bottled liquid which includes a stopper assembly for the neck of the bottle and a housing unit attached to the bottle.
2. Background of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses dispensers for wine bottles which include stoppers and/or cap assemblies which permit introduction of pressurized gas to dispense the contents of the bottle. Representative of the prior art are the following list of patents and copies are attached for the record.
______________________________________ Patentee Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ L. T. Ward 2,189,643 Feb. 6, 1940 W. Mack 2,921,711 Jan. 19, 1960 Lane 3,883,043 May 13, 1975 Haydon 4,011,971 Mar. 15, 1977 Fipp et al. 4,392,174 Jul. 12, 1983 Heuser 4,473,174 Sep. 25, 1984 ______________________________________
Heuser (U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,174) discloses a stopper assembly for wine bottles and it includes a cap assembly 18 having a chamber 22 to receive a carbon dioxide cartridge 24. There is no disclosure of using a stopper having means to expand same against the inside neck of the bottle.
Fipp (U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,578) discloses a stopper for wine bottles which includes a stopper plug 21 for inserting into the neck 12 of the bottle 10. The handle 23 has a gas reservoir 162 and a release valve 163. The bladder 30 is expanded thus forcing the contents out of the bottle. The stopper device also includes means for injecting a protective inert gas into the bottle which serves as a protective barrier.
Lane (U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,043) is a dispenser for a wine bottle and it includes a portion 1 adapted to fit over the neck of a bottle and holder 9 for a gas filled pressurized vessel 81 together with a release handle 13. The device includes a tube 25 and a pipe 41 which are inserted through the stopper or seal 33.
Haydon (U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,971) also shows use of a tube insertable through the cork of a bottle; Mack (U.S. Pat. No. 2,921,711) discloses use of a screw on type cap and Ward (U.S. Pat. No. 2,189,643) is a dispensing apparatus in the form of a tank 1 which is detachably secured by a screw connector 2 to a dispensing head 3.